The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-10-09

the mark Oh ner fihiuk "WP v"
il, rose before her.
II was about to say that Maj. Van
Zandt, as a gentleman, has known how 70
fully excuse the natural impulses OF q
daughter continued Washington. with
a look Of perfect understanding; but let
me now satisfy YOU on another point,
where it would seem we greatly differ.
He walked to the door and summoned
his servant. to whom he gave an order.
I'm another moment the fresh faced young
officer who had at first admitted her re
appeared with a file Of official papers. He
glanced slyly at Thankful Blossoms face
with an amused look. as II he had already
heard the colloquy between her and his
superior officer. and had appreciated that
which neither Of the earnest actors III the
scene had themselves felt-a certain sense
OF humor in the situation.
Howbeit. standing before them, Co.
Hamilton grayely turned over the file OF
papers. Thankful bit her lips in embar-
\ slight feeling Of awe and a
presentiment Of some fast coming shame;
a new and strange consciousness of her
self. her surroundings, Of the dignity u
the two men before her; an uneasy feel
nc of the presence Of two ladies who had
in some mysterious way entered the room
from another door. and who seemed To be
i|ntently regarding her from afar with Il
curiosity as il she were some strange ami
nal. and q wild premonition that her
whole future life and happiness depended
upon the events Of the next few moments
so took possession Of her, that the brave
girl trembled for a moment in her isola
ton and loneliness. In another instant
Col. Hamilton. speaking to his Superior,
but looking obviously 40 one Of the ladies
who had sntered. handed a paper TO Wash
ington. and said, Here are the charges"
Read them. said the general coldly
Col Hamilton. with a manifest con
s~ciousness Of another hearer than Mistress
Blossom and his general. read the paper.
IL was couched in phrases OF military and
legal precision. and related briefly, that
upon the certain and personal knowledge
of the writer, Abner Blossom Of the
Blossom Farm was IN the habit Of en-
t|ertaining two gentlemen. namely, the
Count Ferdinand and the Baron
Pomposo. suspected enemies Of the
cause. and possible traitors 10 the CONT
mental army II was signed by Allan
Brewster. late captain in the Connecticut
contingent.
As Col. Hamilton exhibited the sigma
ture. Thankful Blossom had no difficulty
in recognizing the familiar bad hand and
equally familiar misspelling Of her lover.
She rose 70 her feet. With eyes that
showed her present trouble and perplexity
as frankly as they had n moment before
blazed with her indignation, she met, one
by one. The glances Of the group who o
seemed 10 he closing round her. Yet with
a woman's instinct she felt, / am con
strained 10 say, more unfriendlirsss in the
silent presence OF the two women than IN
the possible outspoken criticism Of our
mach abused sex.
"Of course. said q voice which Thank
ml az once, by a woman's unerring i'll
stinct, recognized rs the elder OF the two
ladies, and the legitimate keeper Of the
conscience " some one of the men who
were present-"of course Mistress Thank
full will be able 10 elect which OF her
lovers among her country enemies she
will be able to cling to Tor support in her
present emergency. She does not seem 20
have been so special in her favors as 10
positively excluded any one
"At least, dear Lady Washington, She
will not give 10 TO the man who has proven
a traitor 10 her, " said the younger woman
impul,iyely. That isl beg your lady
ships pardon"-she hesitatcd, observing
in the dead silence that ensued thar the
two superior male beings present looked
al each other in lofty astonishmenL
He that is trait'rous 10 hi, country"
said Lady Washington coldly. is apt 10
be trait'rous elsewhere"
"'Twere a. honest 10 say that he that
was trait'rous TO his king was trait rous
10 his country. said Mistress Thankful
with sudden audacity. bending her knit
brows on Lady Washington But that
lady turned dignihedly away. and Mis-
sre-s Thankful again faced the general
II ask your pardon, sine said proudly,
'for troubling YOU with my wrongs. But
10 seems 90 me that even If another and /
greater wrong were dome me by my SWEET
heart, through jealousy. 10 would not H..
tify this accusation against me/even
though. she added, dartins /wieked
90 the placid brocaded Zck of Lady
Washington, eyen thou./ that accu,a.
ton came from one who/nows ,b,, ieal.
ousy may belong TO T. wife OF a patriot
as well a, a. traitoT/ She was herself
again after this spe/h although her face
' ".i , s@5is "..> bio" she had taken
COL r'"nI,'on passed his hand across
az mou( and coughed slightly. Gen.
" "sn.|lton. standing by the fire with
h/mpas>iye face. turned to Thankful
F'agely
You are forgetting Mistress Thankful,
that you have not told me how ! can serve
YOU. 10 cannot be that you are still COM
cerned in Capt. Brewster, who has given